Contemporary Issues and Debates in Health and Social Care

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Module Code:

HSC6001-20

Module Title:

Contemporary Issues and Debates in Health and Social Care

Assignment:

S1: Report on a negotiated topic

Word Count:

S1: 3000 words

Contribution to Module Mark:

S1: 60%

Assessment outline (from the Module specification):

S1: Report on a negotiated topic

Learning outcome assessed:

LO: 1 A knowledge of how health and social care has developed in the UK (S1)

LO: 2 An understanding of the major recent issues in health and social care and critically analyse the response to these issues by the Government and interested parties. (S1, S2)

LO: 3 An in-depth knowledge of the issues and forces driving change in a specific area of choice. (S1)

LO: 4 A range of transferable skills in reading, selecting information, interpretation, critical analysis, argument and reasoning and written presentation. (S1, S2)

Assessment Brief

S1: Report on a Negotiated Topic.

The purpose of this assessment is for you to critically explore a contemporary issue in health and social care. You should discuss and agree with the module leader a relevant issue or topic which you have been taught on the module. The report has 3 parts:

S1. Part 1: An introduction to the issue describing its contemporary significance and relevance (750 words)

S1. Part 2: A critical analysis of the issue including the controversies and debates that surround it. (1750 words)

S1. Part 3: A conclusion summing up the controversies and debates surrounding your agreed topic. (500 words)

S1. Part 1: As a suggestion, you may need to start by identifying relevant issue for your report by reading various relevant topic and health theories which you have been taught on the module including those that underpin health issues. You may also need to explore and consider your own work-experience from health and social care sector (750 words)

Documenting your exploration is of key importance at this point, i.e. capturing your reading, the selection of information, the interpretation of it (LO4).

You can choose to document in a variety of ways, e.g. it can be done in a diary style where key developments will need to coincide with dates.

or it can be done as an undated ‘stream of consciousness’(lived experience) that would provide a step by step chronological sense of your exploratory experience etc. The following questions need to be addressed in the introductory part of your report:

What are the facts that make your selected topic to be contemporarily relevant and significant in Health and Social Care field? (LO2)

What are the driving forces behind your selected contemporary issue? (LO3)

How has the issue emerged and developed in health and social care in the UK? (LO1)

What does this mean? Using two topics as examples: The Effect of Social Media on Young People’s Health and Un-regulated Care Homes and Consequences for Children and Young People?

Introduction

It would be vital to cover the following in this Part 1 of the report from doing research:

To say what do we mean by Social Media in relation to Children and Young people (topic 1) or Un-regulated Care Homes or supported accommodation for Children and Young People (topic 2). (Sub-section title e.g. Topic and Definitions)

To next say why have you chosen to look at this area and why are the two topics stated above vital topics, in terms of both i) personally for you and ii) what others have said or written about the topic. This can also include and be linked to how has these topics and associated issues emerged and developed as a vital area in health and social care in the UK. (Sub-section title: Topic: Choice, Interest and Rationale)

To complete part, by identifying and saying a little about the specific driving forces in relation to each topic using PESTLE framework e.g. in case of Social Media topic Technology drivers will be of particular significance in relation to who has control Children/Young People or Parents and Social-cultural drivers in terms of what social media does (both positive and negative). In the case of Un-regulated Care Homes or Supported Housing may need to focus more on Economic and Political and Legal aspects to this topic. (Sub-section title: State Topic and Driving Forces).

S1. Part 2: A critical analysis of the issue including the controversies and debates that surround it. (1750 words)

Building on your documented exploration from Part 1, you will now need to:

Critically discuss any controversial aspects (e.g. ethical dilemma) underpinning the issue

Critically discuss any debates, either against or in support, generated by the issue.

To cover and organise and structure Part 2 along following lines:

Debates and Controversies around Summarise Topic 1 and State or Topic 2 and State

To look at and compare and contrast what the positive and negative effects from research studies and other evidence is on the effect of children and or young people behaviour in the case of first topic.

To do the same for the second topic comparing and contrasting from different studies and evidence sources on case for and against the use of un-regulated supported care homes to address needs of vulnerable children/young people.

In moving on to look at the ethical aspects to consider and explore with a view to provide an agreement which you can support (backed up by various evidence) as to who should take responsibility for topic and issue (i.e. Social Media or Un-regulated Supported Care Homes) and on balance consider implications of making it one persons or everyone’s responsibility. For example, taking Social Media, you have children/young people and families as well as peers, government and the big social media companies where what should be the duties and obligations. In the case of Un-regulated supported care homes, you need to look at government and local authorities and partner agencies and charities and groups along with regulation bodies and providers themselves and address in a similar way.

S1. Part 3: A conclusion summing up the controversies and debates surrounding your agreed topic. (500 words) Following on from Part 2, you will now need to consolidate your thoughts and perspectives by summing up the controversies and debates surrounding your agreed topic. Based on your critical evaluation and critical discussions, you may need to address the following questions in your Part 3:

What are the possible problems associated with the issue and what are the possible suggestions/interventions needed to mitigate these problems?

What are the possible recommendations needed to be considered in preventing future occurrence of problems associated with the issue?

To organise and structure content for Part 3 along the following lines:

Conclusions and Recommendations

To Summarise problem issue and key messages and points from Part 2 on chosen topic.

To say what side of the argument and debates on balance does your view fall on, i.e. arguments for or against or positive and negative aspects and justify why you say this.

To then suggest what or if anything needs to be done in order to address the problem and or issues associated with your chosen topic and what this will mean for those needing to be involved i.e. different stakeholder groups and if and how they might be able to work together to address any problems and or issues. To also justify what you say and why.